How Chemical Surfactant Developers Can Adapt to the Rise of Bio-based Alternatives
- September 27, 2024
- Blog
Surfactants are hard-working and versatile chemical compounds, making a diverse array of end-use products possible. While laymen may be more familiar with the subclass “emulsifier,” surfactants (also called surface active agents) comprise materials that reduce the surface tension between two chemicals, not just between oil and water (as emulsifiers do). They help create wetting agents that spread better, detergents with thicker suds, and much more.
While surfactants aren’t going anywhere, how they’re derived is changing.
Bio-based surfactants that may be healthier, free from 1,4-dioxane, and/or generate less carbon dioxide pose a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional, non-renewable, petroleum-based surfactants and are rapidly gaining popularity with both consumers and manufacturers.
However, they need not be 100% derived from biological products or renewable domestic agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials) or forestry materials to claim the mantle of bio-based, and they may even be produced by traditional chemical reactions.
As a leading manufacturing partner, Seatex can help you transition or expand into this exciting segment of chemical development. Read on to learn why our help can be invaluable as you enter the emerging market of bio-based surfactant formulations and products.
Understanding the Market Shift
Some of the manufacturing sectors that have seen the greatest rise in consumer demand for healthier, more environmentally friendly products rely heavily on surfactants. For example, one surfactant called sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) may be found in…
- home cleaning products
- detergents
- body washes and shower gels
- personal care products
- hand soaps
- bubble bath
- sun tan lotion
It’s common for makers of these types of products to market “SLS-free” or “sulfate-free” versions to their customers, often through branding that conveys feelings of wellness and sustainability (and demands a higher retail price). Natural options for replacing SLS include ingredients such as sodium lauryl oat or sodium cocoyl apple amino acids, amaranth protein, hydrolyzed oat protein, or sodium cocoyl glutamate derived from coconut oil.
Ironically, SLS itself can be derived from natural sources such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil; nevertheless, the ingredient has developed a reputation in the public perception. Whether this reputation is well-founded or not, it demonstrates the sometimes precarious nature of the world of green products and the importance of educating consumers on new surfactants. (More on this and other challenges below…)
Studies have consistently shown in recent years that shoppers are increasingly looking for products with sustainable packaging, sustainable ingredients, and formulas free of harsh chemicals. The renewability of plant sources that can generate bio-based surfactants puts them squarely in this category, and when they can be produced by biological processes rather than chemical processes, there’s less energy used and fewer byproducts produced.
Finally, regulators are playing a significant role in promoting bio-based surfactants by clamping down on traditionally used versions. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has had its sights set on widely used nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) surfactants since the early 1990s, but only in the last decade has it moved to expand its oversight and limit the use of 15 of these types of surfactants. European lawmakers have also been updating their regulatory framework for surfactants to reduce their environmental impact and strengthen labeling requirements.
Typically, stricter regulations have the effect of making chemicals like surfactants costlier to produce and sustainable alternatives more attractive to manufacturers by comparison.
Opportunities for Growth and Adaptation
As one market pundit pointed out to Chemical & Engineering News, major retail brands have publicly committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 2030…but they can’t get there with the chemicals widely available today. They need new surfactants.
As mentioned, a surfactant doesn’t have to be 100% biologically produced to qualify as bio-based (or to market it as such). One of the most promising areas of surfactant innovation right now is hybrid surfactants, which combine an organic/hydrocarbon tail with an inorganic fluorocarbon or transition metal head, resulting in a self-organizing surfactant.
A potential obstacle is that customers are apt to respond negatively to any attempts to “greenwash” by marketing a product as bio-based when it is chemically derived. Most of them are already wary of retailers’ sustainability claims, and a wrong step can lose your audience for good.
That’s why biosurfactants may prove the best route in some contexts. Although the term is sometimes used interchangeably with bio-based surfactants, biosurfactants are glycolipids produced by certain microorganisms in a 100% biological process with no traditional chemical reactions, giving them a smaller carbon footprint. They may be fermented from renewable sources such as canola oil or sugar, but at least one startup is seeking to elevate the sustainability factor by generating biosurfactants from industrial waste.
Microbial biosurfactants can be applied in the oil and gas industry, environmental bioremediation, medicine, agriculture as an adjuvant and/or pesticide alternative, biotechnology, and more.
Challenges in Switching to Bio-based Surfactants
The old saying ‘If it were easy, everyone would do it’ may be applied to bio-based surfactants. For example, a surfactant such as alkyl polyglucoside may cost up to three times as much as a traditional surfactant, while being less foamy, which suds-loving customers may interpret as being poor-performing.
The agricultural processes used to make the sugars and oils used as feedstocks for biosurfactants can sully a “sustainable” product’s manufacturing journey and leave you open to criticism in your ESG efforts. And depending on the process and surfactant application, it may be difficult to secure a supply of biomass feedstocks sufficient to support your output target. Biosurfactants can be difficult to commercialize at large scale due to low yields using current technology, and difficult to homogenize.
And as we’ve touched on already, consumers are by now so used to seeing sustainability claims on the products they buy that they may tune them out, or distrust them. To stand out, and to hold up to scrutiny by stakeholders, manufacturers may find it necessary to commit to company-wide sustainability initiatives beyond just a particular green product, a commitment that may require more resources and effort.
Enlist Seatex for Your Next Surfactant Venture
Bio-based surfactants have the potential to gradually replace traditional surfactants by meeting the demand for more sustainable products.
With over 55 years of experience as a specialty formulator and chemical manufacturer, Seatex can help you develop and incorporate bio-based surfactants into your products making it easier for you to enter new markets and deal with the transition smoothly. We are well-versed in scaling up new compounds and can help you innovate the right product with the right process to meet your goals.
Partner with Seatex to take the first step toward a greener, stabler, and potentially more lucrative future for your business.
